Deuterocanonical books

The deuterocanonical books are the books that Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Oriental Orthodoxy include in the Old Testament that were not part of the Jewish Tanakh. The word deuterocanonical comes from the Greek meaning 'second canon'. Canonization is the official acceptance of authority and standardization of a text. In Roman Catholicism, deuterocanonical means that the canonicity of the books was definitively settled at a later date than the rest of the canon. Among Orthodox, the term is understood to mean that they were composed later than the Hebrew Bible.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholicism - Eastern Orthodoxy - Oriental Orthodoxy - Old Testament - Jewish - Tanakh - Greek - Canonization - Hebrew Bible

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Like the Tanakh, most Protestant Bible versions exclude these books, although they were initially included in the King James version. Their acceptance among early Christians is generally well-testified. As early as the Council of Rome in 382, an official canon including these books was published. The large majority of Old Testament references in the New Testament are taken from the Greek Septuagint which includes the deuterocanonical books. In the New Testament, Hebrews 11:35 refers to an event that was only explicity recorded in one of the deuterocanonical books (2 Macc. 7).

Related Topics:
Protestant - King James version - Council of Rome - 382 - Septuagint

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Using the word apocrypha (Greek: hidden away) to describe texts, although not necessarily pejorative, implies to some people that the writings in question should not be included in the Bible. This classification commingles them with certain other gospels and New Testament Apocrypha. The Style Manual for the Society of Biblical Literature recommends the use of the term deuterocanonical literature instead of Apocrypha in academic writing.

Related Topics:
Apocrypha - Bible - Gospels - New Testament Apocrypha

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The 1611 KJAV separated these books and used the term Apocrypha in obedience to 2 Esdras 14:45c-48 the Highest spake, saying, The first that thou hast written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy may read it: But keep the seventy last, that thou mayest deliver them only to such as be wise among the people: For in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. And I did so

Related Topics:
KJAV - 2 Esdras

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In the Roman Catholic Church, the following books are considered deuterocanonical: Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch; as well as some additions to Esther and Daniel. 2 Esdras was included in the 1609 Douai Bible as a "commentary on the scripture" as 4 Esdras. It is not included in recent Catholic Bibles.

Related Topics:
Tobit - Judith - 1 Maccabees - 2 Maccabees - Wisdom of Solomon - Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) - Baruch - Esther - Daniel - 2 Esdras - Douai Bible

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The various Orthodox churches include a few others, often including 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, 1 Esdras, Odes, Psalms of Solomon, and occasionally even 4 Maccabees. This last book is often relegated to an appendix, because it has certain tendencies approaching pagan thought.

Related Topics:
3 Maccabees - Psalm 151 - 1 Esdras - Odes - Psalms of Solomon - 4 Maccabees

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There is also a strong tradition of studying the Book of Enoch in Ethiopian Orthodox, a denominational family in Oriental Orthodoxy. The Book of Enoch is mentioned by the author of the New Testament book Jude(1:14-15).

Related Topics:
Book of Enoch - Ethiopian Orthodox

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Most Septuagint manuscripts include the deuterocanonical books and passages. Like the New Testament, the deuterocanonical books were mostly written in Greek. Several appear to have been written originally in Hebrew, but the original text has long been lost. Archeological finds in the last century, however, have provided a text of almost 2/3 of the book of Sirach, and fragments of other books have been found as well. One of these books, 2 Esdras, survives only in an ancient Latin translation dated to the second century AD but was probably composed in Greek. This particular book is not widely accepted by the Orthodox and is rejected by Roman Catholics. The Septuagint was widely accepted and used by Jews in the first century, even in the region of Roman Iudaea Province, and therefore naturally became the text most widely used by early Christians.

Related Topics:
Septuagint - New Testament - Greek - Hebrew - Sirach - 2 Esdras - Latin - Second century - Iudaea Province

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